Celeste, Author at A Literary Escape

How To Lose A Goblin In Ten Days by Jessie Sylva

Published on January 12, 2026January 11, 2026 by Celeste13 Comments

Today’s review is about HOW TO LOSE A GOBLIN IN TEN DAYS by Jessie Sylva. This cozy, cottage core fantasy is a debut by the author. It features a halfling and a goblin fighting for the right to live in the same cottage. Each recognizes the prejudice they have toward the other and over time they work to break down those barriers.

Author: Jessie Sylva
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Orbit
Publish Date: January 20, 2026
Print Length: 352

Want to support local bookstores? Buy a copy of How To Lose A Goblin In Ten Days on Bookshop.org!*

*These are not affiliate links and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.

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Favorite Backlist Books of 2025

Published on January 9, 2026January 2, 2026 by Celeste25 Comments

Earlier this week I posted a list of my favorite books published in 2025 that I read last year. To continue on that topic, today I have a list of my favorite backlist books of 2025. These are books I read last year that were published prior to 2025. Only one of these received a 5-star rating from me. But all of them are books I really enjoyed, obviously, since they’re on this list. The titles link to my review if I reviewed it. If I didn’t review it, then the title links to the Bookshop.org synopsis webpage.

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Favorite Books Published in 2025

Published on January 6, 2026January 2, 2026 by Celeste32 Comments

In January 2025 I made a list of my favorite books published in 2024. So I thought I’d continue this new tradition on my blog with a list of my favorite books published in 2025. None of these received five stars from me (I’m rather stingy with my 5-star ratings), but I still enjoyed them quite a bit. Each of the titles links to my review, if I reviewed it. If I didn’t review it, then the book title links to Bookshop.org for a full synopsis.

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So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens

Published on January 5, 2026January 2, 2026 by Celeste6 Comments

Today’s review is about SO THIS IS EVER AFTER by F.T. Lukens. It’s a Young Adult standalone romcom fantasy. Arek and his friends fulfilled the prophecy and deposed the Dark Lord. But in temporarily holding the throne, Arek accidentally trips a magic spell that dictates he must marry before he turns 18 or die.

Author: F.T. Lukens
Series: None
Age Category: Young Adult
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publish Date: April 04, 2023
Print Length: 384

Want to support local bookstores? Buy a copy of So This Is Ever After on Bookshop.org!*

*These are not affiliate links and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.

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January 2026 TBR

Published on January 2, 2026December 29, 2025 by Celeste21 Comments

Happy New Year, everyone! To start off my January 2026 TBR, I plan to first focus on the two ARCs I have with January publication dates. I took a three-month hiatus at the end of 2025 to focus on books I purchased and it was lovely to do so. So the ARCs are my priority reads with the rest included below as hopefuls. I’ve been thinking it’d be fun to choose one nonfiction, one book subscription, and one random book from my shelves to read each month in addition to any potential ARCs. It’s not easy to avoid the shiny distraction of new releases, but I need to try better to get through my own physical backlog!

Anyway, with that said, here’s my January 2026 TBR.

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